Electric-clock-driving mechanism



d F x M. H. KAEFER 2%??9 i4 ELECTRIC CLOCK DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 8. 1927 IN V EN TOR. M nd m HQ mmm K0; GEYK A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE MARTIN HERMANN KAEFER, OF LA SALLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR TO WESTERN CLOGK COMPANY, OF PERU, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ELECTRIO-CLOCK-DRIVIN G MECHANISM Application filed August 8, 1927. Serial No. 211,513.

My invention relates to driving electric clocks and the like and has for its object the production of such a device in which one part of the current contacting member is so mounted in relation to a pole piece of an electro-magnet that after said contacting part makes the initial current contact the said magnet pole piece pulls toward the other contacting, preferably circular, part mounted on the partially rotating armature, tending thereby, to press and wipe and thus keep the rubbing parts of both contacting surfaces clean to maintain good current contacting surfaces on both contacting members and at the same time have at least the breaking of the current at the contact surfaces accomplished quickly to avoid the usual large sparking in such contacting or switching mechanisms at the time the current flow itself is broken as well as the current caused by induction from the electro-magnet itself. This sparking action is much more serious at the contacts when the flowing current circuit is broken than it is when the circuit is closed because at the closing of the circuit there is no flow of current or induction present, only the difference in potential at the contact points which with the usual low voltages employed with electric clocks is not so serious.

A further object of my invention is to produce a type of driving mechanism that is sufficiently rugged for use on automobile clocks and sufficiently noiseless for house and man tel clocks, and one that is positive and accurate in operation and simple to construct and inexpensive to produce.

I accomplish the above results by means shown in accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of my mechanism showing the positions of the circuit closing devices just as the initial contact is made in closing the electrical current circuit to put power in the movement driving spring.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of my mechanism showing the position of the circuit closing devices just after the contact has opened. breaking the electrical current circuit after the power has been put in the spring.

ig. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional mechanisms for view along a line ABC of Fig. 3., showing the fastening of the circular contacting member to the armature.

Similar parts are indicated by the same numerals throughout the several views.

In the drawings; 1 represents the rear of a suitable frame and 2 represents the plate of said frame which plates are fr together by means of pillars 5 and nu shown. Plate 2 has the rear plate o clock or watch movement mounted on it and the front plate 3 of said movement is fastened to plate 4 by means of the pillars as shown. The center shaft.8 of the usual time movement shown is extended rearwardly through all the plates above mentioned and plate ont has rigidly mounted on same the ratchet wheel.

oncentrically located and journally mounted on center shaft 8 is the armature 10 which is preferably laminated pieces as shown, although it be formed out of a solid piece. Pivot-ally mounted on armature 10 is a pawl 11 which engages the teeth of ratchet wheel 9 and imparts motion from one direction in which the armature moves to said ratchet wheei 9, said pawl 11 being held in engagement with said teeth by means of the spring 12 shown. Fastened to the plate 2 is one end of a spring formed pawl whose other end engages the teeth on ratchet wheel 9 which pawl prevents the ratchet from turning in the opposite direction when armature is correspondingly rotated. Suitably connected with armature 10 is a power spring 13 whose other end is fastened to the plate 1 by means of the pin 14, and it is evident that it can be similarly fastened to any of the usual adjustable means for regulating the tension on the spring 13.

Armature 10 has a pin 15 projecting from it I formed contacting part 21. Suitably mounted on member 17 so that it will contact with built up of strips or the circular portion of said contacting part 21 is a contacting member 22. It is evident that as the armature 10 is rotated that the contacting member 22 rides on the circular part of contacting part 21 and keeps it wiped clean for the contacting purposes. The circular part of the contacting part 21 being limited in size it is evident that as it rotates in a clockwise direction that it soon leaves the contact with the member 22 thus breaking or opening any electric circuit connected through these parts. Mounted on a projection 24-. of member 17 adjacent to pole 25 of magnet is a magnetically attracted piece 23 preferably made of soft iron, which is attracted toward the pole 25 when the electro-magn'et 26 is energized when the contact member 22 and contact part 21 are brought together as above mentioned. 27 is the other pole of electro-magnet 26 which is built up of laminated plates the same as armature 10 and it will be seen that electro-magnet 26 is so located and fastened between plates 1 and 2 that its poles 25 and 27 are adjacently, preferably concentrically, mounted in relation to the ends of the armature 10 as shown. The winding of the electro-magnet 26 is connected to one side of a battery or other source of power 28 by means of the wire 29 and from the said winding to the circular contacting part 21 by means of a flexible coiled cable 30 whichpermits the partial rotating movement of the armature 10 as it is actuated on the shaft 8. The other terminal 31 connects or preferably grounds the other p side of source of power 28 to the plate 1 or 2 of the frame, thence to all other metal parts, thus completing the electrical circuit so that when the contacting member 22 and part 21 are touching as shown in Figure 1 and terminals 29 and 31 are connected to the source of power 28 the electro-magnet 26 is immediately energized. Energizing this electro-magnet 26 causes pole piece 25 to attract or draw the member 23 toward it, thereby increasing the pressure of the said contacting member 22 on circular contacting part 21, thereby making a better contact and at the same instant of time, drawing or pulling the ends of the armature 10 toward the pole pieces 25 and 27 of the electro-magnet 26 causing said armature to rotate on the shaft 8 which stretches out the spring 13 and slides the pawl 11 over one or more teeth on the ratchet wheel 9 and armature 10 moves until the circular contacting part 21 slides along sufiiciently under the contacting member 22 until its left hand end clears it and opens the electrical circuit which in turn de-energizes the electro-magnet 26 and leaves the positioning of the pivotally mounted member 17 entirely under the control of the spring 38 which immediately brings said member 17 in its upper position shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3, it will be seen that the contacting member 22 and the circular contacting part are separated and also that pin 15 on armature is away from the arm 16 so that the armature 10 is ontirely under the control of power spring 13 which now drives the time movement train through the pawl 11 and ratchet wheel 9 and as the said time movement train takes the power from the spring 13 the armature 10 moves in a counter-clockwise direction and will do so until the pin 15 again strikes the arm 16 and finally brings the contacting part 22 mounted on the arm 17 into engage-- ment with the circular contacting part 21 and the electro-magnet 26 is again energized when the cycle of operations above described will be repeated and which operation will be continued as long as the terminals 29 and 31 are connected to a suitable source of electric power 28.

From the above description of the operation of my mechanism it will be seen that the counter-clockwise movement of the armature 10 by means of pin 15 pushing arm 16 of pivotally mounted member 17' against the spring 38 caused the contacting member 22 on member 17 to come into initial or preliminary contact with the circular contacting part 21 on armature 10 so even though the contact atthis point and time be slight, the energization instantly set up in the electro-magnet 26 immediately attracts the part 23 on member 17 which instantly increases the pressure-between the member 22 and the art 21 thereby augmenting or more completely making the contacts permitting the entire and largest possible amount of current to flow through the electro-magnet 26 caus ing it to exert its maximum power on the armature 10 until the armature rotates sufficiently to carry the contacting part 21 beyond the contacting member 22. It is evident that the additional pressure assisted by the moving or wiping of one of the contacting parts on the other with the consequent quick breaking of the contacts accomplished will materially assist in keeping the contacts clean which together with the fact that no current is flowing just previously to the making of the initial contact above mentioned, will always cause the contacts to be in good and operating condition which has been foundso necessary in devices of this kind.

It will be understood of course, that while I have here shown one form of my invent-ion I do not wish to limit myself to the exact form shown but desire to have it taken in a sense diagrammatic of any or all forms of my invention as come fairly within the scope of my claims.

I claim:

1. In an electric clock driving mechanism, an electro-magnet, an armature pivotally mounted adjacent to said magnet, power storing means attached to and actuated by said armature, a segmental contacting part on said armature and a contacting member cooperatively positioned and actuated by said armature to bring said contact-ing part and contacting member into initial engagement and magnetic means for maintaining said engagement during a predetermined movement of said armature, said contacting mem ber remaining stationary during said engagement.

2. In an electric clock driving mechanism, an electro-magnet having suitably shaped pole pieces, an armature pivotally mounted adjacent to said pole pieces, a segmental contacting part mounted on said armature, a cooperating contacting member pivotally and resiliently mounted adjacent to said armature and one of said pole pieces, holding means on said contacting member co-acting with said pole piece, power storing means actuated by said armature, an electrical circuit and means on said armature for actuating said co-operating contacting member to close said electrical circuit, said co-operating contacting member remaining stationary during said circuit closing period.

3. In an electric clock driving mechanism, an electro-magnet, an armature pivotally mounted adjacent to said electro-magnet, a segmental contacting part mounted on said armature, a co-operating contacting member pivotally and resiliently mounted adjacent to said armature, power storing means actuated by said armature, means on said armature co-acting with said co-operating contacting member initially bringing into engagement said contacting member and contacting part, an auxiliary magnetic means for holding said member and said part in intensified operative engagement during a predetermined movement of said armature, said contacting member being stationary on said segmental part during the period of said predetermined movement of the armature.

4. In an electric clock driving mechanism, a frame, an electro-magnet having suitably shaped pole pieces mounted in said frame, an armature pivotally mounted in said frame so that the ends of the armature are adjacent to the pole pieces of said electro-magnet, a segmental contacting part mounted on said armature but electrically insulated therefrom, a spring actuated by said armature, a ratchet wheel journaled concentrically with said armature, a ratchet pawl pivotally mounted on said armature and engaging the teeth on said ratchet, a ratchet pawl pivotally mounted on said frame engaging the teeth of said ratchet wheel, a pivotally mounted contacting member adjacent to said armature and one of said pole pieces of said electromagnet, means on said pivotally mounted contacting member whereby it is attracted to the pole piece of said electro-magnet at the initial clash of the said contacting members, resilient means for holding said pivotally mounted contacting member away from said pole piece and contacting part, means on said armature and said pivotally mounted contacting member for bringing said contacting part and said pivotally mounted contact member into initial electrical engagement, said contacting member remaining stationary during said engagement and an electrical current circuit connecting the winding of said electro-magnet and said contacting member and part.

5. In an electric clock driving mechanism, an electro-magnet, an armature pivotally mounted adjacent to said electro-magnet, a resiliently and pivotally mounted contacting member adjacent to said armature associated with said electro-magnet, segmental contacting means on said armature associated with said contacting member, co-operative means on said armature for bringing said contacting member and contacting means into initial engagement and associated magnetic means retaining said engagement for a definite part of the movement of said armature, said contacting member remaining stationary during the period of said engagement.

6. In an electric clock driving mechanism, an electro-magnet, a primary armature pivotally mounted adjacent to said electro-magnet, a resiliently and pivotally mounted auxiliary contacting armature adjacent to said primary armature associated with said electro-m'agnet, segmental contacting means on said primary armature associated with said auxiliary contacting armature, co-acting means on said primary armature for bringing said auxiliary contacting armature into initial engagement with said contacting means and associated magnetic means retaining said engagement for a definite part of the movement of said primary armature, said contacting armature remaining stationary during the period of said engagement.

MARTIN HERMANN KAEFER. 

